1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motor vehicle roof with a roof opening, a cover which can be moved in the lengthwise direction of the motor vehicle in order to selectively close or at least partially clear the roof opening, and a wind deflector which is coupled to bearing points which are located laterally with respect to the roof opening. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a roof wherein, in the closed position of the cover, the wind deflector lies between the cover and the front edge of the roof opening and the top edge of the wind deflector is essentially flush with the roof surface, and wherein, when the cover is being opened, the deflector is swiveled around an axis which runs through the bearing points such that its top edge lies over the fixed roof surface.
2. Description of Related Art
While in most current motor vehicle roofs with a roof opening which can be closed by a movable cover and a wind deflector which is located in the area of the front edge of the roof opening, the wind deflector is arranged such that, with the cover closed, the wind deflector is deposited underneath the front edge of the cover, in German patent application DE-AS 1 001 129 which was filed on Jun. 26, 1954, a roof of the initially named type is described in which an L-shaped wind deflector in the rest position is edgewise in the front roof frame between the cover and the front edge of the roof opening. According to one preferred embodiment, the wind deflector bears rubber seals on one side or both sides, so that the distance normally existing between the edge of the roof skin and the front edge of the sliding cover in the closed position of the roof is bridged by closing tightly. The disadvantage in the wind deflector arrangement disclosed in German patent application DE-AS 1 001 129 is that provision is made for a seal between the wind deflector and the front edge of the roof opening only in the two end positions of the wind deflector, i.e. either in the completely folded-out position or in the completely retracted position. Moreover it is disadvantageous that, in the cover closed position between the wind deflector and the front edge of the roof opening, only a rather small contact force can be applied to the seal which has been attached to the wind deflector. Thus it cannot be ensured that the edge gap between the wind deflector and the front edge of the roof opening is in fact completely closed.
Another design of a motor vehicle roof with a wind deflector located in the closed position of the cover between the cover and the front edge of the roof opening can be found in German patent application DE-AS 1 189 393 which was filed on Jul. 14, 1960 and in a supplementary application filed for this purpose on Jun. 27, 1961. In this motor vehicle roof, the wind deflector is formed by a strip which is matched to the transverse arch of the roof and on which a strip of soft elastic material is mounted. In the closed position of the cover, the wind deflector is lowered to such an extent that its top edge lies underneath a seal which is flush with the fixed roof surface and which is mounted on the front roof frame. When the cover is being closed, the front edge of the cover rests against the wind deflector and deforms it forward until the front edge of the cover comes into contact against the seal which is located on the front edge of the roof opening. While in the motor vehicle roof disclosed in German patent applications DE-AS 1 189 393 and DE-AS 1 250 749, likewise, there is no provision for sealing between the front edge of the roof opening and the wind deflector in intermediate positions of the wind deflector. Moreover, flexible wind deflectors were not able to succeed as a result of the wind guiding properties which were poorer compared to rigid wind deflectors.